Crumbl is taking the heat from Warner Music Group and its subsidiaries for claims of unauthorized use of the recording company’s catalog, which includes artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Tom Petty, and more. The catch? Social media influencers independently created the content advertising Crumbl’s baked goods with the tunes—and Crumbl simply reposted it on its social media accounts.
Takeaway: Recording companies have begun cracking down on unauthorized use of artists’ music in recent years. Targets of these music copyright cases have ranged, and the suits have become more common since music became more widely available online. Infringement suit targets have included restaurants like Chili’s, which the Beastie Boys sued in July, alleging it infringed on the band’s 1994 song “Sabotage.” President Donald Trump also faced litigation for using unauthorized music during his presidential campaign rallies in September.